Interrogation Tactics
by Derecho Nox
Summary: Wonder Woman confronts Batman in a Watchtower lab, giving him a tantalizing mystery to solve. BMWW
1. Chapter 1: Establishing the Crime Scene

Hello all! First fanfic for me here. Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I had writing it. Reviews are appreciated, but please be gentle. Just because! :-) Just to cover the bases, I don't own Justice League nor any of the characters. Music featured will credit the artists as well. Gaining nothing from this but the pure joy of writing.

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"_Do I know you from somewhere? / Why do you leave me wanting more? / Why do all the things I say sound like the stupid things I've said before?" Skin - Madonna_

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"I should have become a doctor. A surgeon, like dad. Maybe work in shock trauma. That would be a lot less stressful."

Batman leaned his head down and pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes in exhaustion. He seriously needed a large cup of coffee. He had been multitasking various different duties all day to maximize his time on the Watchtower. Before arriving to the League headquarters, he discovered LexCorp attempting a hostile acquisition of Wayne Enterprises. By the time he had entered the transport hanger, he had sent Lucius Fox enough information to not only quell the takeover bid, but also bring into question various other underhanded dealings by the rival company. Fox rewarded him by sending new specs for Javelin upgrades. _Great. More work,_ he thought.

Later he retrofitted one of those Javelin with an experimental propulsion system developed by Wayne Enterprise's R&D division. Word of Lex Luthor's power bid got back to Superman, and the hero seemed to want to thank him by "helping". After nearly damaging the delicate instruments with his super strength, Batman had had enough. He sent Superman to take the Javelin out for a test flight, effectively removing the eagerly well-meaning but interfering Kryptonian out of his hair.

He went from mechanic to referee when two new League recruits from rival countries decided to bring their war to the cafeteria. By the time Batman entered the room, the two metas had trashed the eating area and wrecked some of the food prep section. Batman brought down the Wrath of Gotham when he saw that the coffee maker had been damaged in the brawl. After he was done with them, the two enemy combatants became staunch allies united in fear of the Dark Knight. Never had a kitchen appliance been fixed so fast on the Watchtower.

After entering a few new protocols into the security system, he read the results of a chemical analysis from two substances he found at a crime scene. He was now in one of the 'Tower's labs, conducting an experiment to test the properties of one of the substances. The results showed that the second substance was a byproduct of the first. Seems someone found out how to selectively dissolve organic matter and leave synthetic materials behind. The resulting blobs were the missing guards from the crime scene. Their DNA was all that was left of them.

The master detective knew this weapon would become a League problem sometime soon. Some may not survive its introduction unscathed. Of all his teammates, one specifically came to mind - one with a lot of perfect, beautiful exposed skin. He shuddered to think what would happen if this substance touched her. He was determined to make sure that didn't happen.

The door behind him opened and closed, but he ignored whoever entered. Only when he felt a presence looking over his shoulder did he take his attention away from his work. Before he saw her, he could smell Diana's flowery scent. It calmed his nerves a little.

"Hey, you're here late. I thought you'd be gone by now." She leaned in very close; he could hear her voice right by his ear.

"I had some things to do."

"Don't you have patrol in a little while?"

"I'll be leaving soon. What do you want?"

"Hmmm, someone's been working too hard. You sound grouchier than usual."

Batman wasn't up to sparring - physically, mentally or vocally. "Is there a reason why you're here? Because if not, I'd rather we..."

"Calm down, I was actually looking for you. Figured I'd catch you before you left. Looks like I got here just in time."

"Princess..."Batman growled in warning. He was tired and he wanted nothing more than to get a cup of coffee and maybe 15 minutes of sleep before he left. As much as he liked being in the same room with Diana, he had to get his head in the game before he descended onto Gotham's mean streets.

"You're so tense, Bruce! You need to relax. Here, let me help." Diana set something down on the lab table beside them. But before Batman could see what it was, her hands gripped his shoulders.

"Oww, Diana! What are you doing?" Batman tried moving out of her hold, but she used some of her strength to pull him back towards her.

"Shut it, Bruce. You have a huge knot right here." She pushed down on his shoulder and he hissed in pain. "I'm going to work this out and you're going to let me. Now relax."

"Fine, whatever."

Her touch was firm, but not overly hard. She started kneading the area around his shoulders, working the muscles out of their knots. Just hard enough to feel through his uniform. The silence between them was getting a little heated...

"So, I heard there was an incident in the cafeteria earlier today."

"Nothing I couldn't handle." Batman closed his eyes, allowing Diana to continue her ministrations.

"Did you really threaten to bolt them to the Watchtower hull and make them watch you bomb their countries from orbit?"

"They would have been wearing oxygen masks." Batman flashed Diana a smirk when she tilted her head around to look at him. "I would have aimed at unpopulated areas. Honest."

"Uh huh." She moved her hands up from his shoulders and started kneading the muscles around his neck. She leaned in towards his body and he could feel her breath close to his cheek. Her thumb pressed on a particularly tight tendon near the base of his skull.

"Mmmmmm..." Batman's groan of pleasure escaped before he could stop it. He nearly reclined back into her before he realized he was about to cross a boundary that he shouldn't. She was already too close touching him like this. Reluctantly, he stepped forward out of her reach.

"Um, thanks. That feels much better." Batman stretched his neck muscles to work the rest of the stress out. He used the motion to avoid looking at the beautiful princess. "I'm going to get a cup of coffee. I'll see you later."

"Coffee? You want caffeine the way you're wound up? Look, I have a better idea."

Batman turned around to see what Diana was talking about. Beside her rested a bottle of liquor and a lime settled onto of the rim of a long, slim shot glass. She leaned up against the table, all soft curves and relaxed smiles. He stared at her for thirty seconds before he realized he hadn't said anything.

"What is this?"

"This is to help you relax. All you do is work work work. Slow down for a minute and have a drink with me."

"You're not allowed to have this on the Watchtower, you know that Princess."

Diana shrugged a bare shoulder. "What's a little rule breaking between friends. Like you follow them all yourself."

Batman thought she had a point, but this was so surreal. Diana was a reliable paragon of virtue. So she could damage warships with her right hook, she's a good woman. He struggled with the conflicting images.

"Diana, you don't even drink. What made you come with this idea?"

"I figured I needed to spend more time with my friends. We're always on some kind of assignment, or duty, or mission to save the world. And I've wanted to get you alone for some time now. Just you and me."

Batman's brain went blank with her words. What she was implying broke all kinds of rules. They weren't written, but they were strongly alluded to. At least by him. What were they again? Something about teammates and issues...

"Diana...I, uh...don't even know where to go with this."

"Its not that hard, Bruce. Drink...relax...have fun. Remember that concept?"

It dawned on him that she had been calling him Bruce the entire time. He should have been annoyed since he was in uniform and on the Watchtower. He was allowing all kinds of rule breaking. He mentally chided himself for letting her take control of the situation.

"Look, Princess, this is not a good idea. We're still on duty and we shouldn't be drinking here. I have patrol in a little while, and alcohol won't help me concentrate. Now if you'll excuse me..."

"Okay, let's up the ante. Let's do body shots."

Batman froze. It's like she hit him with a right hook. Diana simply waited for his answer, tapping her finger on the liquor bottle. _Ding ding ding_ A perfectly sculpted eyebrow raised in question.

"Bruce, are you okay? Talk to me. You do know what body shots are, right? What you have to do is..."

Batman held up a hand to pause her explanation. His mouth opened, then closed. After pinching the bridge of his nose to processes her statement, he drew a breath and tried again.

"I know what body shots are, Diana," he said evenly. He had done a few while establishing his playboy reputation at an exclusive mansion known for their beautiful women, elderly but virile publication tycoon, and a legendary grotto in the ground's pool. So many taut, nubile bodies volunteered to be next. After that night, he swore off public drinking. It took him two days to get over the hangover.

But it was worth it. Oh...so...worth it.

But instead of bleached blond bimbos with boob jobs, he envisioned a natural, heavenly, Amazonian body presenting herself to him. He imagined that "come hither" look in her eyes as he leaned in towards her neck...

Diana stepped closer to him as his thoughts left him in a haze. She stared directly into his lenses, waiting for his answer. Her nearness made it hard to think, and what she proposed had all types of scenarios playing out in his head.

'_It looks like Diana. Sounds like her, even smells like her. Her hair is long, so she's not a Justice Lord. So...'_

"Who are you and what have you done to my Princess?" The second he said it he wanted to growl. '_My Princess'? Are you trying to encourage her? _Diana's answering smile told him that she interpreted his statement the way he thought she would.

"Would it be easier if it was a shot of espresso instead of tequila? Looks like you could use all the help you can get." Batman struggled to keep a straight face. Diana was showing an unusual amount of what he could only call "pluckiness".

He realized hadn't said no to her proposition. Just gathering more information, like evidence. This was just...strange. He looked around as if he expected someone to come out and yell "gotcha!" This started to feel a little suspicious.

"You know what, never mind. I came at a bad time, it doesn't look like you're up it. I'll let you get back to work." Batman detected a bit of disappointment in her voice, but she gave him a quick smile before she turned to exit. His interest had been peaked, and now she wants to leave?

"Whoa, hold on. Get back here." He said this a little rougher than intended, but he really didn't want her to leave. He actually liked seeing her so uninhibited. But as she walked back towards him, Batman noticed that she wasn't looking at him. Instead, her gaze roamed around the room. He realized her eyes kept leading back to the offending drinking paraphernalia left on the lab table.

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	2. Chapter 2: Lining Up the Suspects

_Hello all! Thank you for reading so far. Special thank you to those who took the time to review, follow, and favorite this story. To the review that mentioned that Batman doesn't drink, yeah…I know. {{{blush}}} Though I thought I did read somewhere that Bruce Wayne has been known to have a glass of bourbon while in the privacy of his own home. Am I making this up? Can someone help me out on that? Gracias! Chapter two for you. Enjoy!_

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_What I need is a good defense /'Cause I'm feelin' like a criminal / And I need to redeemed / To the one I've sinned against / Because he's all I ever knew of love _- _Criminal_ - Fiona Apple

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Batman became fully alert. Not only was he presented with a tantalizing mystery, but it walked right in and challenged him. He knew Diana wanted to start a relationship, but her approach was usually more subtle. Now she was on full attack and he was intrigued.

What he needed to do was play her at her own game. She wanted to draw him out? No problem. She now became a suspect he needed to interrogate. He would use any and all means necessary to get what he wanted. And he wanted answers.

_Let's dance, Princess._

Batman glared at Diana. He knew it was a long shot, but he used his usual opening gambit. On weaker minds, this normally resulted in a confession after being locked in a room with him for five minutes. As Sun Tzu said, "To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill." However, he was alone with the Amazon Champion. She probably knew the Art of War backwards and forwards without even having read it.

He watched Diana settle into an "oh, we're doing this" stance - resting her weight on one leg, cocking her hip to the side, and her hands on her hips. She stared back into his lenses, reflecting back almost as much intensity. Her eyes dropped down towards his mouth. Slowly, she licked her lips, then lifted her eyes back to his. She answered his glare with a crooked smile.

He knew that wouldn't work. It never did.

"See something you like, Bruce?" Damn, and she threw his opening move back at him. _Next._

"What are you doing, Princess?" Questions followed if a suspect needed help speaking up. Use the growl, let them see the Bat. But he was having a hard time bringing the Bat forward. His growl sounded more like a rumbling purr. _Damn it, that massage relaxed me too much. I...do...NOT...purr!_

"Whatever do you mean, Bruce?" She evaded the question. Definitely a sign of guilt.

"You, bringing liquor here. Proposing body shots...in a laboratory! What are you up to?"

Again, she glanced at the bottle and shot glass. She probably didn't know it, but she projected messages without making a sound. Her eyes drifted around the room, but they always roamed back to the liquor. And to him. She was gazing at his lips again, hers slightly parted.

Batman cleared his throat to catch her attention. Suddenly, he was the one being interrogated, but her questions were in her eyes. Diana's stare seemed to pass through his lenses, straight into his soul, making him feel off-center. And she didn't have to say a word. _She's good._

"And what makes you think I'm up to something? What if all I wanted to do was spend some time with you?"

Ah, so she said 'spend some time,' not 'drink and do body shots'. That was a telling clue right there. _All this just to spend some time with me? That's...sweet. That's the Princess I know._ He wanted to give in, but he was still curious where the idea of drinking came from. Interrogation continues.

Usually by this time he was throwing the suspect around to get their confession. Either Diana would be insulted by this tactic, or she would enjoy it too much. Besides, a lot of valuable technology filled the lab; he didn't want it damaged in a scuffle. _Take this to a training room? Tempting, but no. It started here, let's finish it here. _However, he did get an idea. He could use physical intimidation in a more subtle way.

Batman stepped closer to the princess, invading her space. She was forced to look up to keep looking into his lenses. He saw her chest rise and fall, and her nostrils flared. He had seen many other women take in his scent as Bruce Wayne, but watching her do this while he was Batman made it even more enticing. He was really starting to enjoy this.

"I know there's more than what you're telling me." He modulated his voice to a gentle, warm tone. He knew women liked this tone. He used it as another weapon in his interrogation arsenal.

"No need to hide it. I can tell just by looking at you. You're blushing." She actually wasn't, but just by mentioning it her cheeks started to turn red. The color spread down her neck to the generous cleavage her uniform afforded. The reaction told him he was on the right track.

"Maybe this is just what it looks like, did you ever think of that Bruce?" She adjusted her voice to match his, speaking in a lower, huskier tone. She was so close now. All he had to do was bend over and touch her lips...

"Mmmmm...," he watched her eyes flutter closed.

"I don't think so, Princess." Her eyes flew open at his light tone of voice. "You see, you gave yourself away even before I started asking questions. I know there is more to this than what you're telling me. In fact, I detect three other people involved in this little idea of yours. Would you like to know who?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Her blush became more pronounced. She tried stepping away from him, but he moved forward along with her. He maintained the pressure to keep her unbalanced.

"You see, there were three key elements that you presented without knowing it. 'I figured I needed to spend more time with my friends. We're always on some kind of assignment, or duty, or mission to save the world.' That is what you said, right?"

"Yeah, so? It's true. I would like to spend more time with you."

"But you said 'friends', plural. And that 'we're' always on assignment. So the friends you're talking about are Leaguers. And there is one particular friend that I know that says this type of thing all the time. So, how's the Flash been doing lately?" He knew he was correct when Diana's head ducked to the side.

"He's...fine." Confession number one.

"I'm sure he is. So, who's next?" Batman reached over to grab the tequila bottle, shot glass and lime, letting his body brush up against Diana in the movement. He intended it to keep her off balance, but he felt a jolt of electricity go through his body, too. He had to be careful when using this tactic. The Playboy was going to get the Bat in trouble.

He presented the evidence by placing it on the table beside them. "Your eyes have been talking to me ever since you proposed drinking together. No matter what was happening, you always looked back to these. I don't think these belong to you."

Diana pursed her lips. "Sure they do. Why wouldn't I have something to help me wind down at the end of the day."

"Really, Princess. Jose Cuervo? That's some pretty strong stuff. I can't picture you actually enjoying this."

Diana seemed insulted by his comment. "Why not?"

"Diana, you could barely sip the bourbon I gave you when you stayed in the Manor. I had to drink it for you so it wouldn't go to waste."

Diana smiled. He remembered that night well, too. He had poured her the drink while they were playing a game of chess. He gave her a small amount to see if she'd like it. One sip had her coughing, tears running down her cheeks. Bruce laughed at her discomfort, which promptly had him hit by a flying pillow from her side of the couch.

He ended up drinking her portion along with his. He felt so mellow after that, he nearly made a move on her that night. He snapped out of his drunken haze when J'onn walked into the room. He knew the Martian did that on purpose.

Returning to the present, Batman pressed his advantage. "I'm going to make some guesses here. You got this tequila from someone who not only can appreciate its effects, but can drink it pretty regularly. The bottle is half empty."

"Some would consider it half full."

"Funny, Princess. Very funny." She traded a cheeky smile for his droll comment. "The shot glass is larger than the standard size. The lime shows that whoever this belongs to, he knows how to do a proper tequila shot. Though likely, the lime was more for you. He probably wouldn't need it."

"'He'?"

"Green Lantern. John Stewart." Diana's eyes widened. Confession number two. "This one was trickier to figure out, but I thought if Flash was involved, then another senior League member was, too. Someone with enough history to feel comfortable giving this to you. And John is a Marine. They can handle their liquor."

"You seem so sure of yourself. What makes you think you're right?"

"I usually am." Diana rolled her eyes at his arrogant answer. She didn't deny it though, so he counted this point as his.

"So, we have Flash and Green Lantern." Batman counted them off on his fingers. "But there's something I don't understand, Princess." He raised a hand to move a lock of her hair away from her face. Diana followed the movement, closing her eyes slightly and leaned into the caress.

He used gentle, physical touch to lull her into complacency. Her movement made him want to continue the caress in other ways. He wished didn't have his gloves on. Her hair looked soft.

"Body shots? Really? What the hell!" Diana's eyes flew open. She gave a small, surprised snort and pursed her lips again. She lowered her head away from Batman's touch and allowed her hair to cover her face.

Batman completed his movement by placing his hand on her shoulder. He was surprised to feel her shaking. He was concerned until he realized she was suppressing her laughter.

"Diana."

Her head flew up and her laugh rang through the room. Batman nearly stepped back in surprise. She brought her hands up cover her smile, but the glimmer in her eyes shined back at him. Her mirth brought a frown to his face. He was confused; he didn't know what to make of this reaction.

"Great Hera, why did I let them talk me into this," Diana muttered. He just tilted his head.

"Hawkgirl. She's the one who dared me to do body shots with you."


	3. Chapter 3: Witness Testimony

_Did you ever think of me / As your best friend / Did I ever think of you / I'm not complaining / I never tried to feel this vibration / I never tried to reach your Eden - Eden_ by Hooverphonic

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"So this entire thing was you taking a dare from Shayera?" Batman didn't know how to feel about this. He was confused that she and Hawkgirl were spending time together. Though they weren't as frigid as before, they didn't seem to be best friends either.

He also felt insulted that he was the butt of...whatever this was. He stepped back from Diana and started turning away when she grabbed his arm to pull him back.

"Bruce, wait! I'm sorry; this isn't what you think it is. Don't be mad. Come back, please." Batman wanted to believe she used her super strength to get him to turn around. He shouldn't let her coax him into a conversation he didn't want to have. But her gentle hand on his arm barely used any force to stop him from walking out.

"I really did come here just wanting to spend time with you. I have an explanation, I promise. Hear me out, okay?" He answered with a silent glare, but didn't pull away. "Look, if you're not happy with what I've got to say, I'll help hold the others down as you bolt them to the hull outside. I'll even warm up the bolt gun for you."

"And what about you, Princess. You went along with it. What if I'm not happy with your explanation?"

"Then you can bolt me down wherever you want me."

"I'm so going to hold you to that."

"Please do."

Their light banter helped calm his nerves. He felt that he was at the center of an ulterior motive. Diana seemed sincere, but he wanted to know how the others played into this. Batman completed his turn towards her, letting Diana know that he was willing to stay and listen.

"It could take some time to tell you everything. Did you need to do anything? I don't want to keep you from patrol."

"It's storming in Gotham tonight. There won't be much going on. I can take the time." What he didn't say was that it would take the entire Rouges Gallery to pull him away from her right now.

"And your experiment? Are you finished, is it okay?" Batman glanced at the containment unit holding the substances he had been working on. So far, they seemed sufficiently inert.

"I think they're okay, but I'll keep an eye on them for now."

"Ah, and you said you wanted a cup of coffee..."

"Diana. You're stalling."

"Am I? Oh yeah, um, so I am." The entire time she had continued to hold his arm. Without realizing it, her hand drifted down to his hand. She held onto his gloved fingers, rubbing her thumb along the top of his. He absent-mindedly returned the caress.

Only when he felt her slight tremble did he realized what they were doing. He couldn't tell if the tremor was due to fear, excitement, or both. Reluctantly, he let go of her hand to give her some space. He backed away and leaned on the lab table, folding his arms across his armored chest.

Diana mimicked his stance, also leaning against the lab table beside him. She perched her elbows behind her, relaxing her posture. Batman couldn't help but notice her open and inviting body language. She was unconsciously offering herself to him, either by implying "I'm telling you the truth," "I want you to trust me" or "take me now." He tried not to think of the last option.

Diana tilted her head back and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and began her story. "It all started a few days ago when I walked into one of the senior lounges. I wanted to find a quiet place to read, but Flash, Green Lantern, and Hawkgirl were already there. It had been a while since we shared each other's company without a villain trying to decapitate us, so I stayed to find out what they were talking about. They were swapping stories, and I wanted to hear them.

"Wally was telling us about when he served with the Titans, and the pranks they used to play on each other. They would make bets and play 'truth or dare'. I'm amazed they stayed friends for so long. They seemed to make as much trouble for each other as solve it."

"I heard about those days," Batman commented. "Nightwing swore off making bets against Flash after that. Thought he cheated, using his speed to rig the dare when no one was looking."

"Wally admitted to that. He also said he had proof of a time Dick lost a bet, and he had pictures." Batman glanced at Diana in curiosity. "What I want to know is how Nightwing ended up in Starfire's uniform." He shook his head, face firmly in palm. "_Ahem_," Diana cleared her throat, masking a laugh. Apparently, he hadn't heard this story about his son.

"John then started telling about his time in the Marines, where they would gamble at cards or darts, and the losers would take shots of tequila. He said it was funny to watch the losers get drunker as the night wore on. It was better to be the winner if you didn't want to find yourself passed out in the back of your commanding officer's jeep, or have certain articles of clothing sent up a flag pole."

Batman suppressed a snort of laughter. Something told him that GL was on the giving and receiving end of those games many times before taking on the mantle of a galactic police officer. The green-clad hero wasn't as stoic as he let others to believe. Focusing back on the subject at hand, he listened as Diana continued her confession.

"That was when Shayera started telling about how Thanagarians celebrated after a battle. She said that both men and women partied as they fought, with great passion and aggression! She told how there was a surge of births a few months after one particularly boisterous celebration. Thanagarians considered this a blessing, saying that the souls of those slain had reached the afterlife and were sending their replacements. Fortunately, Shayera hadn't been equally as...blessed. But there were quite a few fledglings calling her 'auntie'."

He raised an eyebrow at this scenario. That could possibly explain how a child between Hawkgirl and Green Lantern could be born when they were not together. He wondered if John thought the same thing. Batman was also curious about what circumstance had the two estranged lovers in the same room. John made it clear he was with someone else, and Shayera obviously still wanted him.

"Then they asked me about what Amazons did for fun. I told them about a festival celebrating the harvest of Dionysus' fruits. While we had our gardens for our everyday use, some Amazons took a turn at cultivating their own crops. Those who grew grapes competed at making wine. Many volunteered to taste test the various vintages, and one could judge the popularity of a particular batch by counting how many jugs were littered around the groups the next morning. I told them of the Amazons we found in dark corners in various precarious, uh, positions."

She interrupted him before he could say anything. "Don't bother asking, they did already. I was a princess that sat at the head table with my mother, the Queen. I wasn't a part of those groupings. However," she grinned slyly at the Dark Knight beside her, "I was a part of the group that went around to wake them up."

Batman smirked at the image of Diana nudging awake a pile of nude bodies. It reminded him of the situation he found himself in at the grotto. Except it was the old tycoon who owned the property that woke him up, grinning down at the young, hung-over man.

Diana stopped talking, smiling at the past conversation with her friends. He reached for the tequila bottle and placed it on the table between them. He tapped it with his finger to remind her why she was telling the story. Diana saw his action and blushed. She forgot why she was there in the first place.

"By then, Flash noticed I was the only one that hadn't actually participated in the festivities. He called me a 'miss goody two shoes.'" She glared at Batman's cough of laughter. "Watch it buddy." He held up a gloved hand, warding off any other comment.

"Of course, I didn't let his childish name calling get to me. Then GL said I was more likely to loosen up with other Leaguers than anyone else. He said there was a camaraderie between brothers and sisters-in-arms. I could understand this. It's been awhile since I could just be myself without worrying about status or powers."

Batman started feeling guilty. She was a founding member of the League, so her options for companionship were mostly limited to the others in their group. While she had a good relationship with most of them, she wanted his company, too. And he had avoided her. Some friend.

"Then Hawkgirl suggested that I take the initiative and ask to drink with someone and see what happened. I didn't think this was a good idea, but then GL said I should ask you." Diana looked over at Batman. "He said you could use an excuse to loosen up."

He made a mental note to have a strong talk with GL. Damn man set him up! He knew that Green Lantern was aware of the attraction between the two senior League members. He made a vague movement with his hand, allowing Diana to continue talking.

"Then Flash dared me to take a bottle of liquor and ask you to drink with me. He thought it would be an easy in and out since you would most likely refuse." Batman frowned. _Boy thinks he knows me_.

"It was Hawkgirl's idea that I propose body shots with you. She thought that it was an even better way of 'getting under your cowl' as she said."

"So it was then that you came here?" Batman reached over and brushed the back of his hand along her exposed arm. It was a daring movement, one to challenge her to indeed "get under his cowl." Diana didn't flinch at his touch. Instead she watched his fingers trail down her arm, then peeked up at him through her lashes again. She moved just the slightest inch closer to him. She crossed her arms over her chest, mimicking his previous posture. The movement accentuated the cleavage on display.

"No, I thought she was joking. It was such an outrageous suggestion."

"And yet you're here, proposing this 'outrageous suggestion'. What changed your mind?"

"Yesterday, all three tracked me down to the cafeteria. They surrounded me, hauled me up onto my feet, and escorted me back to the lounge. They had the bottle, shot glass, and lime on the table. They dared me to find you, no matter where you were, and propose drinking with you. Once you refused, I'm supposed leave these as proof that I was brave enough to ask. Then one of them would come to you with a simple question, to make sure the evidence was here."

"And the suggestion of body shots?"

"That was a last ditch effort to catch your attention. Did it work?" Her facetiousness was contagious.

"Hmm,"

"So, it's all okay?"

"Not sure. I may still have to get that bolt gun ready."

"Oh, boy. Still in trouble," Diana whispered to herself. "Um...so what else do you want to know?"


	4. Chapter 4: Offers and Counter Offers

_I know that my face is only too familiar to your sleep / I can see it in your eyes / I can tell by your body heat / Why are you taking so long / You need to come and find me honey / To set your mind at rest and let your dreams run free - "Come Here Boy" - _Imogen Heap

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"And what were you supposed to get out of this, Princess? You wouldn't be here, taking a silly dare, if you weren't getting something you actually wanted."

"They did make me a very tempting offer. Each would cover two weeks of monitor duty for me if they saw proof that I followed through." _Brief pregnant pause._ "And bragging rights among the four of us that I had the 'balls' to do it, as Flash says."

"So that's why you were so eager to leave when I questioned why you were here."

"Well, the plan kind of fell apart when you started asking questions. I didn't want to blow their cover."

"And yet you stayed. Why?"

"You asked me to."

Batman fell silent at her confession. He actually remembered ordering her to come back, but that was a minor detail. She could have left anytime. He didn't think she only wanted time off.

"And if you didn't follow through, or returned with your hands still full, what would they get?"

"Carte blanche for each of them, where I would perform a favor anytime they pleased. Within reason, of course."

"Those are some pretty high stakes. Was all this really for time off? We could have looked at the schedule and found you some. You're due for a vacation, Princess."

"Well," she started. "The time off would have been a fringe benefit. First off, I wanted to see your face when I came in with the tequila. See if I could get you to crack a smile." He grunted his comment. She rolled her eyes. "Typical Bat answer.

"Then I figured, what the hell. Why play it safe? We risk our lives almost everyday for strangers. Why am I afraid of getting closer to someone I already know? If taking a dare would catch your attention, then I think it was a bet well taken." She was right - she definitely caught his attention.

"So all of this was to catch my attention and to...what? What do you want from me, Princess."

"Your time. To actually have a meaningful conversation with you. Maybe, also, to learn more about what's under the cowl." She said this with a little hint of flirtation. He looked away to hide the smirk he couldn't keep off his face.

"You've seen me without the cowl."

"But have I seen you without the mask?"

"Perhaps. How would you know?"

"I think I'd know when it doesn't feel like you're avoiding revealing more of yourself. When you're not so guarded. I've seen glimpses of you behind the hero. I want to see more."

"You could have just asked."

"Yeah, like that worked before."

"You're going through a lot of effort to get to know me. Why now?"

"Why not now? Anything worth having is worth fighting for. Don't you think you're worth it? I do."

Her honest answer stunned him. He heard no pretense, no ulterior motive. He wondered if he would have been as receptive to this if she hadn't gone through such circular methods. He felt a little uncomfortable that the conversation was going to more weighted matters. Time to bring it back on point.

"So, six weeks off from monitor duty. What did you plan on doing with the time?"

She didn't mention if she noticed that he avoided her previous questions. "Well, my plan was to intrigue you by my odd behavior, and I would have made a hasty escape. I'd get the time off, and then I would have been able to ask you out, properly. Seems most of my duty shifts were conveniently scheduled during times when you were on the Watchtower. Imagine that."

"Hm." _I admit nothing, Princess. _

"Right. Nothing suspicious about that at all." Her sidelong glance told him she believed otherwise. "So, now that you know the whole story, I'll just go ahead and leave. Can you play along and let one of the guys see that stuff in here? I'll need to have proof if I'm going to collect on the bet. By the way, it was worth it seeing your reaction to the body shot suggestion. Priceless!"

Batman thought he detected a slight slump in her shoulders as she turned towards the door. He stood as she stepped away from the lab table. She quickly lifted her head, straightened her posture and took a cleansing breath. The abrupt ending to her confession confused him, and that she was leaving already. He made a move to stop her, and then wondered if he frightened her. He realized he did not want her fear. _But what do I want from her?_

He realized she had been ready for him to overreact. He hated that she could predict him so well. If she thought she had him figured out, he'd show her otherwise.

"Wait, Princess. We're not finished." She turned at his statement, giving him a curious glance.

"What do you mean?"

"You haven't answered all the questions." She shook her head in confusion. "We know what you would get if you won the bet, and what you'd have to give if you lost."

"Yes...and?"

"What would you get if I took you up on your offer?" Batman asked. For his credit he just stood there, letting the question sink in. Her mouth opened and closed in surprise. She looked like he slapped her with a fish.

"What, to have a drink?"

"Don't be coy, Princess. You know what I mean."

"You mean..."

"Here's a suggestion for you, Princess. Don't bluff unless you're ready to get called on it," he said in his deepest, sexiest baritone.

"Oh...Great...Hera." Diana blushed fiercely.

While keeping his eyes on her, Batman tilted his head to the side. "Computer, voice recognition Batman-zero-two, security authorization alpha." The computer chirped an affirmative sound.

"Lockdown Lab Two systems. Secure lab doors, divert cameras to Lab Three, and disconnect all recording devices from this room. Override main security protocols authorization bwbm-91939-execute." A series of clicks and whirls answered his command.

Batman strode back over to the lab table. He leaned up against it, repeating his posture while Diana told her story. He glanced over to the flustered princess and crooked his finger towards her. He nearly laughed when she furiously shook her head.

"Come here, Diana." She slowly shuffled to him, hands clasped in front of her. She bit her bottom lip, head bashfully tucked down. This was a far cry from the seductive temptress she played earlier. He patted the table beside him, signaling her to join him.

"You didn't expect me to take you up on the offer, did you?"

"Uh, actually, I didn't think that far. I just wanted to get a reaction from you."

"I didn't know you were such a tease, Diana." She gasped, aghast at his statement. "I am but a man. And you've presented me with a very tempting offer."

"Well, I thought there was the slightest possibility that it could happen. I figured I'd only use it to peak your curiosity."

"Consider my curiosity peaked, Princess." He responded softly, taking all the challenge out of his voice. Her eyes sparkled as she answered with a smile. _She really is an innocent, isn't she?_ He walked over to a cabinet and took out a nondescript white container labeled "NaCl."

"You came prepared, Princess, but you forgot an integral part of the process." Diana flashed him a confused look. He placed the container in front of her. "Salt. You can't do body shots without salt."

She made a small humming sound. "Ah, yes. That would be necessary, wouldn't it?" She ran her finger along the top of the spout. "How is it that this is here in the laboratory?" She was stalling, but Batman figured it wouldn't hurt to make her comfortable.

"Salt has properties that can cause or neutralize chemical reactions. It can be used to investigate how a substance might react to the surrounding environment."

"You know Bruce, we could just let this go. I've already done my part of the dare and I've won the bet."

"Oh no, Princess. I'm definitely not going to 'let this go.' You came to me. You proposed this to me. I think we should finish this." Diana shot him a challenging glare. "Besides, what kind of bragging rights do you think you'd get for this?"

"I don't know if I'd tell anyone else about this." _Hmmm...she hasn't refused yet..._

"So how about this stay between you and me. Consider this an 'ice breaker.'" He was gambling at this point. She could very well push him out of the way and punch open the door if she wanted to leave. He hoped that she wouldn't.

"I think my curiosity's been peaked, too." He smiled at her answer. She seemed to glow at his reaction.

He reached into his utility belt for a small knife and proceeded to cut the lime into small sections. Then he opened another small compartment and took out a packet of sugar, sprinkling it on one of the lime wedges. Lastly, he set the lime onto a napkin on the table.

"I thought we were supposed to use salt in this...exercise."

"We will be, but this is for you." She raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. She watched as he took another napkin and poured a small mound of salt onto it. Finally, he grabbed the tequila bottle and the shot glass. He held up the glass to inspect its shape and volume. Leave it to the Marine to have the largest shot glasses. He poured the tequila into the glass, filling it almost to the top.

He lined all the materials up on the table, setting them in between them. Then he studied Diana, letting his eyes scan up and down her body. She seemed to be doing the same to him. When his eyes rested upon her chest, he gave a thoughtful hum and rested his gloved hand on his chin. The sound made her pause the perusal of his body and look up at him.

"What?" He just continued to regard her cleavage. "Hello, I'm up here." She ducked down to catch his eye, flashing him an annoyed look.

"You know one of the rules of a body shot is to take it without using your hands, right?" He let that fact sink in a little. "That includes having the shot somewhere on the body without holding it." She paused to think a bit more, and then followed his eyes to her chest. She immediately started blushing and placed her hand to her throat.

"Sweet Aphrodite, what did I get myself into?" He found it amusing that she exclaimed to the Goddess of Love and Sex this time. "You're not serious." He just continued to smirk at her. "Wait a minute...you've done this before, haven't you?" His smirk increased into a shit-eating grin.

"I have a playboy reputation to uphold, Princess. I've had to do many things to solidify that image. Some things were harder than others." His smile grew even wider. "I had to practice a few times to get it right."

"Uh huh, because Batman does everything to perfection and according to plan."

"Damn right, Princess." Diana burst in loud laughter. He was glad she was taking this lightly. The alternative would have been painful...for him. Now came the real gamble - would she follow through?


	5. Chapter 5: Taking the Counter Offer

_I will not confirm nor deny any experience in the following chapter. I repeat. I neither confirm…nor deny…any experience. Um...so there. __BTW - I quote almost directly from another conversation that Batman had with someone else. Can you find it?_

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_Give me the first taste / Let it begin, heaven cannot wait forever / Darling, just start the chase / I'll let you win / but you must make the endeavor - First Taste_ - Fiona Apple

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"All joking aside, Diana, did you really want to do this?" She tilted her head. "I know you came here to win a bet, but I don't want you to feel pressured into something you don't want to do."

"Ah, so you're worried about pressuring me? That's sweet." He gave her a vague shrug of the shoulder. "I'm invested now, Mr. 'World's Greatest Detective'. Forget the others, I'm curious about what you're going to do."

Batman shook his head at her sassiness. "Too much curiosity can be dangerous, Princess."

"Maybe I like danger."

"Do you?"

"Try me."

"Okay, hold still," he ordered. "And don't hurt me," he added. He couldn't believe he was about to do this to an Amazon, and their champion warrior at that. He leaned in to place the shot glass in her bodice, hoping his hand didn't start shaking in the processes. He moved so slowly that he realized his intended target was jiggling. Diana was trying to suppress her laughter.

"Come on, Bruce! They're breasts, not bombs. They won't explode if you touch them." She was laughing out loud again, which was made him blush. And Batman doesn't blush.

"Well, if you'd stop bouncing around so much, I could get this in there without spilling it!"

"That's what he said."

"DIANA!" He cursed under his breath and nearly poured the shot down her top on purpose. "I need to find you some new friends. The ones you have are poisoning your mind."

"You can be my friend, Bruce." She said this lighter, the laughter subsiding. She arched her back a little to present her cleavage to him. She peeked up at him through her lashes, giving him a "come hither" look.

_Hot damn. That looks better than anything I've ever dreamed of._ He started to reach over to place the shot glass in its intended target, but he paused and laid the glass back on the table. He smirked at her disappointed expression, but he held up his hand to pause her protest. He removed his gloves and gauntlets.

Once those were gone, he picked up the glass and gently nestled it in between her perfect breasts. He allowed his bare fingers to brush her skin as he placed it there, then caressed her on the way back. He glanced into her eyes and a smoldering fire answered him. She flashed him a half-smile, but didn't pull away.

He reached for the lime and presented it to her. "Are you ready?" He moved the fruit towards her lips, but she stopped him with a raised finger. He thought he had gone too far when she reached over towards his head, then tapped the points of his cowl.

"You might want to remove this before you begin. They'll make it hard for you to get close to the glass, and you might poke my sensitive...bombs...with them. You wouldn't want to set me off, would you Bruce?" Her choice of words had him thinking of all types of answers. Instead, he reached up and tugged on his cowl, removing it to reveal Bruce Wayne's handsome face. He unclipped his cape and set it aside as well.

"Ah," Diana whispered softly. "There you are." She smiled sweetly at the man revealed in front of her. She reached up to touch his cheek. "For a minute there I was wondering if you were going to make an appearance."

"I was always here, Princess," he answered softly, leaning into her hand. Seeing her without the enhanced vision of the lenses, her skin took on an unearthly glow.

"I know, but was I going to get the Bat or the Billionaire?"

His lips quirked into a half-smile. "You're going to get me."

"I'm going to get you," she echoed softly. Her expression shifted to curiosity. "Bruce, why are you doing this?"

"Why are you, Princess?" Bruce wasn't sure how to answer the question, so he evaded it with one of his own.

"I'm here because I thought I'd take a chance to experience something with you," Diana finally confessed. "Why are you doing this, Bruce?" she repeated.

"An irresistible opportunity walked through the door, and I couldn't refuse," he answered. He looked down at her, giving her his best playboy, smoldering smile. "And you asked SO nicely."

"Mmmm...because that's all I had to do." She glanced at the lime in his hand. "Are you going to give me that or am I going to have to take it?"

"Right," Bruce grunted. He lost track of what they were doing when she touched his face. He positioned the lime close to her lips. When she took it within her mouth, she squeaked a sound of surprise and scrunched her nose.

"It's a little tart. That's why I sprinkled sugar on it," Bruce commented. She raised her eyebrows in understanding and positioned the lime more securely between her lips. She nodded her readiness.

"One more thing to do," he murmured to himself. Slightly hesitant, he leaned down and gently licked the skin at the juncture of her neck and shoulder. She leaned into him and sighed. Bruce reached back to the table, took a pinch of salt, and sprinkled the area where his tongue had grazed Diana's skin. He saw a good amount stayed there while some fell down her back.

Bruce placed his hands upon her hips, steadying himself more than her. He was feeling slightly dizzy. _What the Hell am I doing?_ Diana placed her hands on his shoulders. He looked down at the shot glass below him, and the soft flesh surrounding it. With a steadying breath, he finally made his move.

As his head descended towards the glass nestled in her bodice, Bruce felt Diana's hand run up his shoulder and onto his neck. He leaned in and took the shot glass into his mouth. He couldn't help but notice his nose brushed up against her breasts, his forehead rubbing against her chest. She squeaked again, her hips shifting closer to him.

He swiftly brought his head up, tilting it back to take the tequila into his mouth. He nearly choked on the fiery liquid, having forgotten how strong it was. But instead of swallowing the entire shot, he allowed some of it to pool under his tongue. Raising a hand off Diana's hips, he took the glass out of his mouth and set it upon the table.

Without looking at Diana's reaction, he ducked back towards her neck. But instead of a gentle lick, he sucked the salt covered skin, knowing that it was turning red from his action. Diana's hand lifted from his neck, twinning her fingers through his hair. Bruce sucked on her skin a little bit longer, then moved slowly up her neck, letting his nose brush the length up towards her ear. He nuzzled the sensitive area there, taking in her exotic scent.

When he looked into Diana's face, Bruce noticed that she tilted her head and closed her eyes. Her mouth held the lime loosely, her lips slightly open. He brought his hand up to caress her cheek with his thumb. When she opened her eyes, he could see her desire as she glanced down to his lips. Lowering his head towards hers, Bruce gently took the lime into the corner of his mouth. He made sure to brush Diana's lips in the process.

When Diana opened her mouth to let him take the lime, Bruce closed his lips over hers and dipped his tongue to gather the tequila he had saved for her. He gently pushed his tongue pass her lips and let the liquor trickle into her mouth. She reacted instantaneously. She pushed her body flushed against his, fisted her fingers in his hair, started sucking on the lime, and pressed against his lips. The sound coming from her throat was a mixture of surprise, desire, and delight. Bruce sucked on the lime along with her, enjoying the reaction he was able to illicit from her.

They stayed in that position a few seconds longer until Bruce took the wedge between his teeth and gently tugged it from Diana's lips. When he had the fruit completely in his possession, he reached up and repositioned it in his mouth, sucking the residual juice from the pulp. He watched as Diana lick her lips with her eyes closed, sucking her own tongue as she tasted the combination of sugar, salt, tequila, lime and Bruce. When she looked up at him, he smiled at her heated gaze. He breathed in deep through his nose, savoring Diana's scent.

"So." Bruce's voice rumbled through his chest, vibrating against Diana's body. He was curious about what she thought of the process.

"Wow," she whispered. She released her hand from Bruce's hair and let it stray to his chin. "That was...amazing." She grinned after that assessment, her teeth gleaming against her lips. "You HAVE done this before."

Bruce tilted his head down, trying to hide the blush he couldn't stop from forming on his cheeks. "Well, it's been a while. I wasn't sure if I could still do it."

"Not from lack of willing partners, I'm sure," Diana teased.

"No," Bruce admitted. "I did it once before and got roaring drunk." Diana's eyes widened at this confession. He coughed slightly and cleared his throat.

"You don't usually do this, do you."

"No. That night was the last time I drank any of this stuff. It's been years since. I promised myself I wouldn't do it again unless it was absolutely, positively worth it."

"And this was worth it?" Diana asked shyly.

"Oh yes, it was worth it."

Diana hummed her answer. She reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear, the one he had nuzzled just a few seconds earlier. Bruce observed a red mark on the her neck where he sucked the salt off her skin. He felt a surge of pride flow through his veins. It stroked his male ego to see the mark he made on Wonder Woman.

She peeked down and gave a small nervous laugh. When he followed her eyes, he noticed that their bodies were still touching. His arms rested around her waist, her hands laid on his shoulders. He leaned back a bit, letting his hands rub the circumference of her hips. When they both looked up, he noticed that there was a residual trace of white on the corner of Diana's mouth.

"It looks like you didn't get all the sugar from the lime. I think that's a party foul, Princess." He meant it as a joke to break the tension between them. But when she started to lick away the remaining sweet, the sight of her pink tongue broke any remaining control Bruce had on the situation.


	6. Chapter 6: Cross Examination

_Tequila shots for all of you who figured out the quote was from Batman's infamous conversation and kiss with Cheetah in "Injustice For All"! If Wondy only knew he kissed her mortal enemy...ooooh!_

_Confession – I had three shots of Jose Cuervo when I first wrote this chapter. Later, much later, I was drinking iced mocha while I edited. Delete, delete, delete…got to keep it at a "T" rating. I've been drinking water ever since._

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_I love him, I love him / She loves him, she loves him / This time I'm gonna keep it to myself_ / _And he makes me want to hand myself over - Pagan Poetry - _Bjork

* * *

Bruce quickly bent his head to touch Diana's full lips with his own. Her eyes widened in surprise as he pulled her body to him, placing pressure on her lower back to bring her hips up against him. When she opened her mouth to take a breath, he softly sucked on her lower lip. The low moan that emanated from the back of her throat encouraged Bruce to take the kiss farther.

He gently licked the underside of her upper lip to encourage another reaction from her. He nearly lost his breath when she ran a hand up his neck, grabbed a fistful of his hair, and deepened the kiss with her own tongue. He answered her with a moan of his own, surprised at the passion she displayed. She wasn't shy when it came to giving as good as she got.

When the need to breath became overwhelming, Bruce parted from the princess' lips and started sucking on her neck again. "Bruce, uh, wait...um I have...oh my...to tell you som..." He cut off her statement by taking her lips again, effectively shutting her up. She didn't say another word for a few minutes until she felt his hand start to roam along her thigh.

"Bruce, wait." He pulled back at her command. "Wow, um, this is getting really intense."

"Yes it is, Princess."

"There's something you should know," she whispered. He touched her lips with his as she spoke, making it difficult to speak...or breathe...or think...

"Um, you should know" _kiss_ "that you might not" _kiss_ "be doing this under" _kiss_ "your own control."

"What?" Diana answered by letting her hand trail down his muscular arm and lay on his; the ungloved hand that rested on her hip, rubbing sensual circles near her thigh, and tangled in her Lasso of Truth.

Bruce glanced down in mild interest. Then the voice of the Bat growled a warning that he shouldn't be allowing this to happen. He shook his head to clear it, though he wasn't sure if he was trying to clear out the cobwebs or the Bat. He tried removing his hand from the offending rope, but Diana pressed down, keeping it there.

"What are you doing, Diana?"

She looked away in slight embarrassment, and then met his eyes with a steely glare. "It's my turn to get some answers, Bruce." He tugged at his hand, but she held firm. Her arm around his waist kept him from stepping away.

"Please...I...I'm sorry. But I just need to know a few things." Diana's voice shook slightly, the steel in her eyes giving way to a vulnerability that he'd never seen in her before. His heart went out to her and he kissed her gently to comfort her. _Where did that come from?_

"Am I seeing you without the mask now?"

"Yes."

"If I had not come to you like this today, would you have come to me?"

"I...I don't know."

"Why?" Bruce struggled against the answer that he was compelled to give. She saw his strain and had mercy on him.

"No, don't answer that. That's an unfair question." He let go of the breath he was holding.

"Did I disappoint you by doing the body shot with you?" He raised an eyebrow at her question. "I mean, it really wasn't something I would ever suggest, but I was so tempted and..."

"That was one of the sexiest things I've ever done with anyone. Unexpected, but not unwelcome." She answered him with a tremulous smile.

"Are you mad at me for doing this to you?"

"Yes. This is not how you're supposed to treat someone you love." _Damn it, I didn't mean to say that!_ Diana's gasp made his heart jump.

"Do you lo..," Bruce desperately kissed her to stop her from asking the next question. _Please, Princess. Don't ask me that question...not yet. _When he parted from her lips, she stared intently in his eyes. It was like she was reading his soul and trying to summarize everything she saw there.

"You don't want to tell me how you feel, do you?"

"N...no."

"Why?"

"I'm...not ready. It's too much." Diana leaned in and hugged him close. He let his free arm pull her in. They held each other for a few minutes, and for an eternity. Diana finally broke the embrace.

She unwound her arm from his waist, but kept her hand over his on her lasso. She straightened her back and stared into his face. He steeled himself for her next question, not sure if he would be able look her in the eye again. He resigned himself to whatever she wanted to ask.

"If you don't want to tell me how you feel about me," she stepped away from him, releasing him. He pulled away from her, letting go of the offending rope, his hand still extended towards her. She held her arms out to her sides in an invitational gesture.

"Show me."

He pushed her backwards and nearly slammed her into the bulkhead, crushing her with a possessive kiss. They held onto each other with a brutal desperation, clutching as if afraid to let go. He let his hand brush downwards to her thigh. She rewarded him by her lifting her leg, hooking it around his waist, and grinding her hips against him.

A voice in his head that sounded vaguely like the Bat told him to slow down, everything was happening too fast. Bruce ignored the voice and tasted as much of her skin that he could reach; her lips, her neck, her shoulders, even daring to touch top of her breasts. Diana tilted her head back, breathing in short, gasping pants.

Bruce returned his attention to her lips, trying to tell her what he felt without saying a word. He threaded his fingers through her hair, cradling her head in his palm. He felt her pushing him away, her hands cupping his face. She started kissing him back gently with her soft, luscious lips.

Bruce allowed himself to follow her lead. She kissed him with such tenderness, he almost felt bad for being so brutal seconds earlier. He answered her kiss with a warmth of his own. He allowed his lips to brush against her while she explored him, but he slowed down to enjoy the pace she had set.

Diana continually pressed her lips against his, then moved her attention to the rest of his face. She nuzzled the area near his ear like he had done to her earlier. She breathed in his masculine clean scent, mingled with the smell of his uniform and a faint undertone of aftershave. He could feel her rub her face against the rough stubble of his facial hair, grazing her cheek against it a few times to memorize the sensation.

He felt her take the skin at the junction of his ear and jaw into her mouth, sucking the area as he had done to her. His chest swelled as he took a deep breath, telling her that she had done the movement right. She then moved her mouth to the underside of his chin, gently nipping him with her teeth. He could feel her hand rub down from his neck to his chest, resting at a point over his heart.

When Bruce angled his head to give her more access, she moved along the edge of his jaw, grazing her teeth against his skin along the way. He breathed hard through his nose, eyes closed to block out every other sensation but her touch. He swallowed, his mouth dry from kissing and tequila. When Diana felt his Adam's apple move, she brushed her lips down from the tip of his chin, touching as much of his skin before she was blocked by his uniform.

Bruce placed a hand against the bulkhead behind her to steady himself. Her gentle touches made him weak in the knees and his legs were in danger of giving out. He bent down and caught Diana's lips again. She stretched her arms around his body, rubbing her hands along his muscular back. He allowed the hand that was still holding her thigh to move towards her star spangled derriere. He suddenly pulled her hips in towards him, grinding against her. Her answering moan nearly short-circuited his brain.

Their kiss intensified until they didn't know where one ended and the other began. The taste was a heady mixture of sweet and salty, tart and tangy, and a flavor so purely unique to their blending essence, it could only be called "magical". Their bodies began moving to an ancient rhythm, barely aware of the surrounding modern environment. Words were forgotten as they told each other stories with their touch, their breath, and tentatively...their hearts.

Bruce's world pulled into a laser-tight target that contained only the woman in his arms. He knew that this was...inappropriate? No, that's not it. Wrong? Definitely not. Destined? Perhaps.

Inevitable, yes. Perfect. Undeniably...perfect.

He was so lost in the moment, he was startled to feel something wet slide across his lips. He pulled back and watched a tear trail down her cheek. "Diana," Bruce whispered. So much emotion was encased in her name; he didn't know what else he could say. He gently caressed her face, wiping the tear away. He looked into her eyes, his question conveyed in his glance.

"Bruce," she answered. She kissed him with as much feeling as she could convey. With her lips brushing against his, she whispered. "Show me more."

He looked into her face, trying to read what she was feeling. What he saw there made him feel inadequate, that he wouldn't be able to fulfill the hope in her eyes. He wanted her so badly, but he also wanted to do it correctly. His instincts said to take her right then and there. His heart said to slowdown.

There was a right place to do this. A right time. He wanted to give her everything she wanted, everything he had. He needed a release, she wanted more. Now wasn't the time...

He. Did. Not. Care.

He grabbed her other leg, both her limbs now hooked around his waist. She pulled him in closer, nearly putting too much strength in her embrace. His hand moved up to cup the breast he had nuzzled earlier in a tequila filled kiss. Her hand trailed down his chest, her nails gently scratching against his armored abs, and resting on the catch of his utility belt. She looked at him in askance. He nodded.

Gods forbid he refuse his princess anything.


	7. Chapter 7: Confessions

"_T" rating, guys…"T" rating. As in tequila, tension...and tease. :-p_

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_You found eternity / This could shatter your heart / The reflection of your soul / Was a vision of me / Take all that I could be / Take all I should be / May faith lead your way / Did you know it was me - Temple - _Beverly Klass

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The alarm sounded loudly in their ears, and both jumped away from each other, ready for battle. Diana disengaged her legs from Bruce's waist and landed into a defensive crouch. Bruce swung around, fists ready to destroy anyone he encountered. Instead he saw the experiment he had been conducting earlier had burned through the steel container, and was slowly eating away at the glass enclosure.

Cursing under his breath, Bruce ran over to the computer console by the containment unit. Pressing a series of buttons, a second enclosure descended over the unit, containing the dangerous element. Next, a tube lowered over the container, suctioning the entire box into a hatch in the ceiling. Finally, he punched a red button on the console, jettisoning the unit into space.

Bruce stood there breathing hard. He was disturbed to find that he was trembling. Between the roaring arousal he still felt, the jarring surprise of the alarm, and the adrenaline from the danger, his body was confused at what it was supposed to feel. He bent over the lab table, leaning on his elbows, and held his head in his hands. After a few seconds of composing himself, Bruce glanced over at Diana.

"WHAT IN HADES WAS THAT!" Diana relaxed out of her combat stance, but supported herself up against the bulkhead, bracing her body that was about to give out. She was breathing hard and her skin flushed.

He slammed his fist down against the table in frustration. Bruce laid his head onto his arms, willing his heartbeat to slow down. "That, Princess, was an experiment that I let go too far. Damn it, this shouldn't have happened. If only I had been more careful. Stupid! So goddamned stupid..."

He heard Diana gasp. When he turned to look at her, she was staring at him with a stunned expression. He could have sworn she had tears in her eyes. She quickly wiped her face and started stomping towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Bruce turned, confused by Diana's reaction.

Then it dawned on him - what he said...what she thought...

"Wait, Diana, don't go!" He rushed over to her and gathered her into his arms to stop her retreat. She paused when he touched her, but her body felt rigid and her shoulders bunched. Bruce took her hands in his and was disturbed to find them curled into fists. He brought them up in front of them, holding her by her magic bracelets.

"Calm down, Princess, calm down." She flinched as if she wanted to tear her arms away from him. He snatched her arms back to him. "Power down, Diana. Breath. Let me explain." He was relieved that she didn't recoil again, but she hadn't relaxed yet. He had to fix this, now.

"I'm sorry, Princess. I didn't mean you. I shouldn't have left the experiment alone without containing it somehow. It was a careless move, and it may have caused more damage if the alarm hadn't sounded. I thought it was sufficiently inert. Obviously, I was wrong."

Bruce held Diana's hands between them through his explanation. He willed her to relax them out of fists, to show him that she was listening. When her fingers loosened out of their curl, he cupped her hands in his own and kissed her knuckles. He felt guilty when she expelled her breath in relief.

"I thought," she paused, leaning her forehead on their entwined hands. "It sounded like you regretted what we did and were pushing me away again."

"I don't think that's possible now. Things seem to have escalated to a whole different level. We can't ignore this as if it was some random party joke. I don't think I want to, either."

"I'm so sorry, Bruce. This was all my fault. I just wanted to talk and spend some time with you. But one thing led to another, and you were forced to show your feelings for me. When you held me and accidentally brushed your hand up against my lasso, I felt its power leave right before you kissed me. But I didn't want you to stop. I thought for once, I was going to see how you really felt about me."

"Diana, I..." She placed her hand over his lips to halt his explanation.

"Bruce, no matter what you're going to say I'm going to speak my mind at least once. I want you. I've wanted you for years. And if it took some stupid bet to catch your attention, so be it. I don't regret that the lasso made you show your feelings, I just hope you'll admit that you have them. You'll probably retreat, again. I mean, I know how much your self-control means to you..."

Bruce captured her lips with his own, abruptly interrupting her confession. He continued the kiss until he felt Diana completely relax against him. When he finally parted from her, he ran a thumb along her chin to keep her from looking down. He wanted to look into her eyes when he spoke next.

"I'm going to do this only once." He wrapped his hand around her lasso as he held her. "I don't regret what we did. I was sorry for possibly putting you in danger, but I'm not sorry for anything else. If you want to know more, you'll have to find out in the normal course of things, just like everyone else. But let me make it clear - I would have continued to seduce you if we weren't interrupted, because I want you, too."

Bruce quickly let go of her lasso as Diana attacked him with a kiss and shoved him up against the lab table. He was having a hard enough time concentrating without being magically forced to tell the truth. Her kisses were starting to short circuit his brain again. He reluctantly pushed her away, placing his hands on her shoulders and pulling back from her lips.

"Sweet Aphrodite, I'm insatiable!" Diana walked a few steps away. She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to shake off the lingering lust between them.

"Not a bad quality to have, Princess," Bruce rubbed the back of his neck. "Though perhaps we should slow down a little bit."

"True, but it's hard to think that way when I want to throw you on a table and have my way with you." Bruce's eyes widened at the visual, and he could feel his cheeks warming up into a blush.

"I'm kidding! Aaaah, I need to stop voicing what I'm thinking. Its going to get me in so much trouble. But I agree with you, Bruce. We need to slow down."

Still reeling from the image she had given him, Bruce stepped back towards the forgotten liquor and shot glass. He poured the golden liquid into the glass.

"What's that for?" Diana asked.

"I need a little help coming down from that awesome picture you just put in my head." Diana crossed the distance between them, took the glass from his hands, and promptly took the shot herself.

"Holy Shit! This stuff is strong! I can't believe I just swallowed it all."

"That's what she said."

Diana took a swipe at Bruce, who swiftly dodged out of range. He grabbed a lime wedge and handed it to her. She promptly took the fruit in her mouth, sucking on it as she had seen Bruce do earlier.

"Oh, yes, that's much better. Thank you."

"And on that note, that is the last shot happening today." Bruce placed the top back on the bottle. It was like closing the lid on Pandora's box. Diana nodded, her hand on her stomach, still trying to process the liquor she just drank.

"So, now what?" they asked at the same time. They smiled at each other, acknowledging the new dynamic between them. Bruce crossed his arms across his chest and leaned up against the table.

"What are you doing this Friday evening?" he asked.

"I'll be here. I have monitor duty..."

"No, you don't. You'll be out with me, letting me give you that dance I've owed you for a while."

"I will, will I?" Diana grinned from ear to ear.

"You won the bet, right? Looks like you'll have some time off for the next few weeks. I can think of some things to do with that time, can't you?"

"I sure can," she answered seductively. "Just as long as it involves nothing stronger than iced tea."

"I think I can arrange that." Bruce looked up thoughtfully. "Do you trust me?"

Diana shot him a suspicious look. "Sure," she said, only slightly reluctant. She watched him arrange the drinking supplies on the table beside her. He reached into his utility belt and brought out some breath mints, handing one to her.

"You really are prepared, aren't you? What else you got in there?" Bruce smirked at her questions. He refrained from telling her about the condoms in the back compartment. They were for liquid collection...honest...

"How are you feeling? You alright for the rest of the evening?"

"I'm okay, just a little dizzy. I'll just get a mocha later."

"Drink some water, too. It'll get it out of your system faster." She nodded at his advice.

Bruce reached for his cape and cowl, hooking the cloak to his uniform but keeping the mask off for the time being. He angled his head upwards. "Computer, voice recognition Batman-zero-two, security authorization alpha. Disengage Lab Two lockdown. Unlock lab doors, return security camera feeds to this location and reconnect all recording devices. Initiate main security protocols authorization bwbm-91939-execute."

After the computer confirmed his orders had been fulfilled, Bruce flashed Diana a mischievous glance. He swiftly walked up to her and pinned her to the table's edge. He bent down and quickly kissed his princess, putting as much fire into the touch as he could. With her sufficiently preoccupied, he reached behind her and pushed a button that started the recording system. He slid the salt-covered napkin over the button's blinking light.

Bruce could tell that the kiss had caught Diana by surprise. She seemed pleased that he felt comfortable enough to casually show her how he felt. As he stepped away from her, she let her hand run down his neck and chest. He smiled warmly at her caress. The smile slowly fell away to a smirk.

"Bruce, what are you thinking?"

"Just want to make sure there's no doubt that you won the bet."

Diana grinned. "Be gentle. We need them for missions." Bruce shrugged his shoulder, not committing to anything.

He watched her expression as he placed the cowl over his head, slipping into a whole different persona.

"Let's see about handing out some payback." Diana flinched at his growled statement. She knew Bruce had left the room. The Bat was out, ready to play.


	8. Chapter 8: Crime and Punishment

_Rise up let life's kiss send us reeling / And unlike the times before / From yesterday comes tomorrow / When life comes alive the past moves aside / No regrets and no remorse - Yesterday to Tomorrow _- Audioslave

* * *

"Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl...report to Lab Two. NOW!" He allowed the Bat to growl through his voice, but the smirk on his face was all Bruce. Diana grew nervous from his actions. He offered his beautiful princess one more look then turned away to face the door.

"Hey Bats! No need to yell, we could have heard you just fine if OH SHIT!" Flash walked through the lab doors first, Green Lantern and Hawkgirl close behind him. They stopped just inside the doorway when they spotted Batman standing in the middle of the room, arms crossed and very, very angry. The hatch closed behind them, hissing its condolences.

"Uh, hi Batman, what's up?" Green Lantern asked.

Batman glared.

"You called us here, what do you want?" Hawkgirl tried not to seem intimidated.

Batman glared.

The trio glanced at each other, then fully took stock of the environment; Batman, stared bullets at them, Diana, behind him leaned on one of the lab tables, a liquor bottle displayed prominently on said table...

"Oh hey, Bats, we didn't know she was actually going to do it." Flash held up his hands as if to ward off evil. He wasn't far from that assessment.

"Yeah, we figured she would find you, but chicken out at the last minute." Bruce could hear Diana's slight growl at GL's statement. _Down girl. _

"It was just a harmless little bet to see if she could hang with the big boys." Hawkgirl's statement had Batman turning his stare full onto her. "What? She's fearless in battle, we were just curious if she could do something a little more...daring. "

Batman wanted to watch them squirm a little more, so he continued to glare at them. He already got their confessions, though he still thought he wasn't getting the whole story. Something didn't feel right. He was going to find out, one way or another. But first...

He glared at them a few seconds longer until he saw Flash fidget. The speedster was actually trying to inch his way behind Hawkgirl's wings. "Each one of you is a founding member of the Justice League. As such, you are held to a code of conduct above everyone else. You're supposed to be an example of professionalism and teamwork. Its up to you to uphold the honor and image of the League."

"Instead I find that you are coercing a fellow teammate into a compromising position, bringing illegal substances onto the Watchtower, and placing wagers within privileged areas for senior members only. This is unacceptable behavior and it will not be tolerated."

Batman allowed his voice to become more harsh and deadly. "You were taking advantage of a friend's need for companionship, and turned it around into some juvenile party game. And you made the biggest mistake - you involved me. I don't appreciate being the butt of stupid jokes, especially when in the middle of an investigation. I have a mind to show you just how pissed...off...I am." His facade of danger nearly cracked when he heard Flash's whispered 'fuck!'

"However, Diana pleaded your case and asked that I be lenient with you. For that, you will be doing her a favor." Batman stalked closer to the three 'criminals' in front of him, each taking a step back when stopped to loom over them.

"Each one of you will be taking a month of Diana's monitor duty shifts along with your own." Batman paused at the exclaimed 'what!' 'no way!' and 'so not fair!'. "I don't care how it's done, or how you negotiate it, but you will cover every single shift for Diana for the equivalent of three months. If I find that you are trying to pawn this off to another member, or that you start bickering about the time roster, I will add another month to the sentence, is that understood?"

The trio stared at him in silence. "IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?" The answering 'yeah!' 'Yes, Sir!' and 'whatever' were the only acknowledgments he needed.

"Before all this began, I was investigating a substance that will most likely become a League problem in the near future. I will have a report to give during our next founder's meeting. At that time, I will also review the duty roster to make sure you have your punishment handled. Now, MOVE!"

With that, Batman pushed past the stunned trio and strode to the door. When the hatch hissed open, he paused to look back into the room. The troublesome trio still had their backs to him, each one stiff in anticipation for more reprimands. Diana peeked past Hawkgirl's wings, a hand on her smiling lips. Batman gave his Princess a parting smile, hoping she could feel what he wanted to say. She turned her hand away from her lips to give a small wave, and then placed it back when her smile became a grin.

Nodding in her direction, Batman let the hatch close behind him. As he started walking down the corridor, he could hear three exclamations of 'Oh my God!', 'Jeeeezus!' and 'Aaaaaaah!'. Then he heard a peal of high, beautiful laughter. There was no mistaking whose voice that was.


	9. Chapter 9: Undercover Surveillance

_Where's your heart's desire? / Make a wish and close your eyes and shine / shine on me / keep me from the shadows / shine on love, shine on life / help me find tomorrow – Shine_ - Operatica

* * *

Bruce settled into his chair in front of the Batcave computer. He'd arrived at the Manor an hour ago, where he promptly took off the Batsuit and took a very, very cold shower. He took his own advice and asked Alfred to bring him a bottle of water along with a cup of coffee. He needed to clear his head from the effects of the alcohol before he continued his investigations.

However, he was having a hard time focusing his mind on anything other than Diana. He sat back into his chair, his fingers steepled in front him in thought, running a finger over his lips. He could almost feel her kissing him, using her gentle touches to explore his face as her soft lips caressed his...

Bruce violently shook his head to clear out the heated images from that evening. At this rate, he would need another cold shower soon. He chugged almost the entire bottle of water before picking up his coffee. He had two reports to review and he needed to get through them before leaving for patrol. He forwarded one to the Batmobile; the on-board computer could read that one to him on the way to center city Gotham. For now, he picked the one that displayed "recording complete" on the screen before him.

The computer opened a number of windows on the large display, video feeds from Lab Two that he re-engaged after his 'conversation' with Diana. He reviewed his confrontation with Flash, Green Lantern, and Hawkgirl about their parts in the situation. He watched the trio stiffen as he handed down their punishment, and saw Diana perk up in amazement and then look at him in wonder. She placed her hand on her lips to keep from laughing, and she shook her head as if she couldn't believe what he just said.

Bruce took a sip of coffee to focus on the coming scenes. He watched himself smile at Diana and her answering wave. After the hatch closed, he saw the three on trial collapse from their stiff posture. They shouted their shock at the chewing out they received from him. Diana leaned back in laughter, arms clutched across her stomach.

"Oh my god, what the hell was that!?" Flash exclaimed.

"That, my friend, was us getting our asses handed to us but good." GL seemed to be taking the punishment well, but then he was a realist. They gambled and they lost. "I think I saw my life flash before my eyes. I saw an awful lot of green."

"What I don't get is how he knew that we were involved. Diana, what did you tell him?" Hawkgirl crossed her arms over her chest. She tapped her foot in impatience for Diana's answer. All they received was an embarrassed glance from the Princess.

"You told him everything, didn't you?" Diana peaked at Flash and bit her lower lip. "You did! What'd he do, Wondy? Wrap you in your Lasso of Truth or something?"

"Oh, he didn't have to do that, Wally. He's a master detective, and he knows how to get people to talk. All he had to do is move into her space, talk to her in that deep, sexy voice of his, and ask her point-blank what was going on." Shayera mimicked the actions she described, sauntering up to Diana and putting her arm around her shoulder. "He knew she had a chink in her armor and he used it."

"And what chink is that?" Diana asked.

"Him!" Shayera gave her a quick peck on the cheek and jumped out of the way as Diana pushed her. Diana wiped the place the other woman kissed, but smiled at her friend's antics. Bruce was surprised to see Diana react to Shayera so friendly like. Guess winning the bet gave her a better opinion of the Thanagarian.

"And what makes you think he's the chink in my armor?"

"Oh please, you made it very plain that he gets to you. You're an amazing, fierce warrior Diana, but you become like a shy schoolgirl when you're around him." Diana frowned at John's statement. GL placed a hand on her shoulder. "He's not the only detective in the League, my friend. We all see the signs of how you two feel for each other. If it's any consolation, you're the chink in his armor, too."

Bruce raised an eyebrow at John's observation. This would be a revelation to him. He prided himself at masking his feelings and mirroring back only what he wanted other to see. Somehow, he hadn't been doing as well as he'd thought.

"What makes you think that? Bruce is one of the strongest people I know. He doesn't show many weaknesses." Bruce felt a warmth in his chest at Diana's defense of his character.

"Oh, so it's 'Bruce' now? Hmmm, and I bet you don't mind him calling you 'Princess' anymore, huh...Princess," Wally teased.

"Anyways," Shayera butted in, "we see it in the way he seeks you out when he thinks no one is looking, and how he seems to know where you are at all times. It's how his seat is always next to yours during League meetings, and how he turns his head just the slightest inch when you talk. No one else exists. He'll conveniently be on the Watchtower when you're on duty, and he'll place you together on assignment as much as he can."

"And in the middle of a battle, he will check to make sure you're okay and watch your back as you fight. And when possible, he will put himself in front of you to ward off any attacks coming your way. Face it, Diana, the man is in love with you." GL squeezed Diana's shoulder to push his point home.

Bruce lowered his head at John's assessment of his actions. He felt he should have been angry with himself for being so transparent, but all he could feel was that his friend's pronouncement was true.

Bruce was in love with Diana. And it frightened the Hell out of him.

Bruce glanced up quickly to see what Diana was doing. She stared at her friends with a look of wonder on her face.

"Are we really that obvious?"

"Only to those who care about you. Both of you." John answered.

She covered her lips with her fingertips and it looked like she had tears in her eyes. Bruce watched as Wally stepped in front of her and took her hands with his. He crouched down before her and peered up into her face.

"Time to 'fess up, Di. You love him, too, don't you?" Bruce leaned in closer to the monitor. He sagged back into his chair at her affirming nod, his heart beating a mile a minute. He didn't know what he would have done if she'd given a different answer.

"Well, it looks like our mission was a success." Diana glanced down at Wally in suspicion. "She's confessed her feelings for him, and I think he's got a clue. What do you think, guys?"

"Wait, this was a mission? To do what, get Bruce and me together?"

"As Wally would say," Shayera paused, "...yep."

Diana stood up and shook her head. "So when you dared me to do body shots with him, what did you expect to happen?"

"As far as I knew, it would raise alarms in his head and get him to investigate why his innocent Princess was proposing such a naughty, naughty thing. He would dig a little deeper and then you two would start talking. I figured it would be a way of breaking the ice and get a few laughs at the same time."

"That's all you did, right Di?" Flash stood and backed away from her. Bruce watched as Diana stared at her friends like a deer caught in headlights. "You two had a nice conversation, shared a little drinky poo, confessed a few feelings, and made a date. That was all, right?"

"Oh my GOD!" Shayera's exclamation was so sudden, even Bruce jumped at the sound. Every head in the room turned to the Thanagarian. "You actually did it. You did body shots with him, didn't you?" She beamed so proudly at that statement, Bruce didn't know if he wanted her around Diana to be such a bad influence anymore.

Bruce watched as John leaned over to take the shot glass Diana had conveniently hid behind her. "This has been used and the liquor level is less than before. And look, the lime's been cut." He presented the evidence to the princess. "I don't remember giving you salt."

"Diaaaaana," Wally sang. "Did you get the big, bad Bat to do body shots with you?" Diana answered by covering her face with both hands and leaning to let her hair hide her. Even then, they all could see that she was blushing bright crimson.

"She shoots and she scores!" Wally jumped and punched his fist in the air. The other two clapped in congratulations, big cheesy grins on their faces. Bruce smirked at their antics and congratulated himself, too. He raised his cup to take a sip of coffee...

"So, where on him did you do it? As far as I could see, his uniform was still intact." Bruce nearly spit his coffee onto his computer. He looked up at the monitor, seeing Shayera waiting eagerly for Diana's answer. _She was supposed to do the shot off _me? That opened a whole different range of scenarios in his head. What made them think she would do that?

Then he remembered; she took the original dare. She came to _him_. She proposed the shots to _him._ Seeing the situation through her eyes, of course she would be the aggressor. She's an Amazon, she goes after what she wants...

He remembered how her eyes traveled over his body when he prepared the shot. Her eyes stopped on the buckle of his utility belt before he caught her attention. What had she been thinking? Bruce nearly paused the video playback right then and there. He was about to jump back into the cold shower to clear the sudden visions in his mind.

_Shy schoolgirl, indeed._ Bruce's attention was brought back to the screen when he heard John's low whistle.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I don't think the shot was done off him." He watched as John reached over and pushed back Diana's hair. Revealed on her neck was the mark Bruce left on her. He hadn't realized he sucked on her skin so hard. It was really noticeable, even to him through the video.

"Awww, sookie sookie now! Looks like someone was having a little fun." Flash leaned closer to have a look.

Diana jumped up and put a hand on her neck. Seeing her glance around in concern, John conjured a mirror from his power ring. She peered into it, inspecting the mark that Bruce had left there. Her lips started to form a smile until she realized her friends were still watching.

"Why you...you enjoyed that, didn't you!" Diana murmured to herself.

"Yes, I did," Bruce answered back at the screen, "and so did you." He relaxed back into the chair, remembering the shot, and everything else afterwards.

Shayera peeked over Diana's shoulder into the mirror, admiring the mark on her neck like it was a new tattoo. "So that's why it took you so long to come out of the lab. Brings a whole new meaning to 'performing an experiment'."

"You have no idea."

John retracted the mirror back into his ring, and crossed his arms across his chest. "That's a loaded statement if I ever heard one."

"So...how was he?"

"SHAY!"

"What, I'm just asking? Besides, there are quite a few women on the 'Tower that would like a chance to experience the Batman. You should see how many looks he gets when he walks by." Diana shot her a questioning glance. Shayera shrugged a shoulder. Bruce detected a slight blush on Shayera's cheeks.

Diana stepped back over to the table and ran a finger down the liquor bottle's neck. She raised her arms in a luxurious stretch and lowered her hands to run her fingers through her hair. She leaned back onto the table, letting her elbows rest along the edge. Taking a deep breath, she answered.


	10. Chapter 10: Debriefing the Case

_Last chapter. Thanks for hanging in there, hope you enjoyed the ride. See you at the bottom of the page!_

* * *

_Happiness lies in your own hand / It took me much too long / To understand how it could be / Until you shared your secret with me - Secret _- Madonna

* * *

"I'm not saying a word."

Every person watching her, including the one viewing remotely at a recorded version of the conversation, slouched at her answer. The three with Diana groaned in disappointment, not getting any juicy details on the Batman. Bruce sighed in relief. He knew his Princess wasn't one to 'kiss and tell.'

"Oh come on, Wondy! Not even one little hint? He's so 'gloom and doom' all the time. Did he even crack a smile?"

"I prefer the term 'dark and mysterious' and yes, he has a very handsome smile."

"Okay, she's gone. She's fully crossed over to the Dark Side." Flash put a hand on his chest and wiped a fake tear from his eye.

"Hopefully you got him to smile a lot. After the dressing down we got, maybe you can do something to get him to lighten up a little. You know," Shayera bumped Diana, hip to hip, "make the man happy."

"Shay!" Diana exclaimed. Bruce thought this was a very good idea.

"Alright, that's enough grilling Diana on her love life. We have another problem on our hands. We need to figure out the Monitor Duty roster. The first extra shift is in two days." John clapped his hands together. "So, who's first?"

"Oh oh!" Flash raised his hand and jumped up and down to get everyone's attention. "I nominate Shay for the first shift!"

"What? Why me?"

"Because this entire thing was your idea." Flash made air quotes with his fingers. "'We need to do something about them. They obviously want each other.'"

"'We need to perform an intervention,'" John joined in.

"I didn't know you were such a romantic, Shay," Diana quipped to her friend.

"I felt like I owed you, you know, for not being up front on some things and betraying our friendship." Bruce could see the sidelong glance Shayera gave John. "Besides, you two were driving me crazy the way you kept dancing around each other. I just wanted to lock you in a room, get you liquored up and let you get down to business!"

"It worked!" Flash exclaimed.

"But really, Shay. Body shots?" Diana asked.

"I was improvising! We were trying to figure out how to get you and Bats together. Then you come waltzing in on our conversation and we had to cover. One thing led to another, and we were talking about drinking. When John said you should ask him to drink with you, I blurted out the first thing that came into my head.

"And don't you two look at me like that." Shayera pointed to the men in the room. "You thought it was a great idea. John, you even transported to your house and brought back the Cuervo. And you, Wally, were the one who came up with the idea of making it a dare and betting her that she couldn't do it."

"I have some truly diabolical friends," Diana said.

"Don't talk, missy. You took the bet." Wally countered.

"Yes, I gambled." Diana gave a wistful smile. "And I won."

"We won, Princess," Bruce murmured to himself.

"And we lost," Wally returned. "But, damn, three months of extra monitor duty? Where did he come up with that?"

"Uh, that may have been my fault," Diana confessed.

"Oh really, how so?" Wally asked.

"Well, during my, um, 'interrogation', he asked me what I was going to do with six weeks off. I sort of mention that I wanted to spend it with him."

"And he answered that with three months." Green Lantern whistled. "Girlfriend, that man seriously has it for you."

"But did he mean three months straight, or ninety shifts in all? I'm so confused." Flash held his head in his hands. "I would like a personal life, too."

"How about this," Shayera offered. "We start with three months. If all seems well, and our dynamic duo are well on their way to their 'happily ever after', we can go back to normal and Diana can come back to us. However, if she needs a little help making our stubborn friend lighten up, we'll help her out with some extra time. What do you say, guys?"

"Works for me," Wally chimed in.

"I'm down for that," John agreed. "And you get the first shift, Shay. You're the mastermind, you can take the hit."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I hear you."

"Thank you, all of you. This really means a lot to me." Diana glanced at each of her friends, her hand over her heart. Bruce nodded at her sentiment. He wanted to see how they handled the duty roster, testing the extent of their friendship and teamwork. He had to admit Diana picked her friends well. They obviously cared for her.

"And you, Diana. Did you get what you wanted from Batman?"

"Mm hmm," Diana hummed. "I'm finally getting that dance he's owed me for years."

"He owed you a dance? How'd that happen?" John asked.

"I'm trying to imagine Batman dancing." Wally shuddered. "That's just weird."

"He won't be in uniform, dummy. This is Bruce Wayne we're talking about. He'll probably be the best dressed man there, and he's got style in spades." Bruce raised an eyebrow at Shayera's assessment. So she's been following his civilian life. Interesting. "By the way, where are you going?"

"I don't know. Just as long as there are no more tequila shots, I'm open for anything." Bruce had an idea for their first official date. He needed to make a few arrangements, and call in one special favor, but he believed it would be an eye opening evening for the both of them. He was surprised that he was really looking forward to it.

"Well, that sounds like a 'Mission Accomplished' to me. Who's ready to celebrate? We got drinks!" Wally gestured towards the tequila bottle in John's hand.

"Oh, no. None for me thank you very much. I can't take anymore..."

"Wait, I thought Batman took the shot. When did you drink some?" Before Diana could answer, Bruce saw her tilt her head to the side, as if hearing something. Her eyes widened and she jumped to attention.

"Quick, hide that! I can hear someone coming." She cleared the napkins, lime segments, and salt in one swipe, dropping them in a trashcan by the table. Shayera grabbed the shot glass and tucked it into her belt behind her wings. Floundering for a hiding place, John simply set the bottle on the table and stood in front of it. Wally rushed to his side, using his body as an extra shield to hide the evidence.

"WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON HERE!" Superman bellowed as he stormed through the lab doors. The hatch didn't open fast enough, and the Kryptonian left a dent as he pushed them out of the way. Bruce made a mental note to fortify the 'Tower's hatches a little stronger. Again.

"Hey Supes! You're just now getting back?" Flash tried to sound nonchalant, but he seemed disturbed by the damage the Man of Steel left in the door.

"I wouldn't have returned until tomorrow if I hadn't realized Batman accidentally aimed the Javelin towards Pluto. His propulsion unit works too well. I was just passing by Saturn before I saw how far out I was. It ran out of juice and I had to hoof it back on regular engines."

"Ah, that's cool." Flash's face reddened at Supes stare. "So, whatsup? Where's the fire?"

"That's what I want to know! I was trying to dock the Javelin when I nearly hit an object floating outside the Watchtower. Imagine my surprise when I find out that it was a containment unit from this lab, and it was marked as a biohazard. What happened to the security protocols? Why is it just floating willy-nilly outside the port windows? And why does it smell like lemons in here?"

Bruce covered his mouth with his hand. He had forgotten about the containment unit. Damn distracting Amazon! He wondered what they told for their cover story. The fact that he hadn't been contacted by now said they found a way to explain. He couldn't wait to hear this.

"Kal, you actually got back just in time. Batman was performing an experiment on a substance he found at a crime scene. It showed some unexpected properties and it started to burn through the containment unit. He jettisoned it out of the lab before it could contaminate the 'Tower." So far Bruce was impressed. Diana used the truth so far to cover their tracks.

"Well, that explains what the unit is doing orbiting the 'Tower. But why didn't it read on the security alarm? Wouldn't something like that alert you what's going on?"

"Actually, Batman was running some tests on the security system earlier this morning. He put in some protocols that may have cancelled out the alarm by accident. He's going to check on those later." Damn, now he had to give a report on why the security system didn't work. Time to hide those 'special protocols' he added. But Diana was still able to use the facts to evade the truth. She'd been paying attention...

"Oh, well, if Batman is looking into it, then it'll get fixed." Superman glanced at the group in the room. "What are the rest of you doing here?"

"I don't know. He called us here after jettisoning the unit out of the lab, but he stormed out before he could tell us what we should do about it. Figured we'd look into what happened here while he did whatever he needed to do in his cave." Shayera delivered her explanation so well, even Bruce believed her. He admired her 'I don't give a shit' attitude. He'd have to use that later.

"Good, good." Kal looked around the lab. "Well, it seems like you all have this under control. GL, can you help me get that unit settled somewhere? I'm not sure where we can put it without contaminating the area."

"Uh, sure thing, Supes. Let me just finish looking around here. I want to make sure we hadn't missed anything that might be a problem later."

"Good idea. And whatever cleaning agent you're using, I like it! Lemony, very refreshing." Flash suddenly got a cough that sounded suspiciously like a laugh.

"Oh, and Diana. You might want to go to the med bay. It looks like whatever contamination was here might have gotten to you. You got some kind of nasty rash on your neck."

Diana covered her neck with her hand like it hurt. Flash's cough became more pronounced. John patted him on the back a little too firmly. Shayera fluffed her wings, as if shaking off a comment.

Bruce's shoulders shook with his restrained laughter.

"Um, of course, Kal. I'll do that. I'm sure J'onn can give me something to take care of it. It does...itch a little."

"You do that. Let me know if it gets worse. We'll have to tell Batman if there was any residual contamination in the area."

"Sure, Kal. I will."

Bruce watched as Superman turned to exit the lab. He stopped at the damaged hatch, then tried to fix the dent he had made. This made the dent worse. Superman flung his hands up in the air and gave up.

"Bruce is going to kill me. This is the second one this month!" With that, the League leader quickly strode down the corridor.

Bruce could see Flash open his mouth to comment but Diana held up her hand for them to keep quiet. She tilted her head to listen to the retreating footsteps. Once she was satisfied, her body sagged in relief and she let go of the breath in a relieved hiss.

"Great Hera that was close!"

Flash rubbed the back of his head. "I don't know what would have been worse, being chewed out by Batman or getting a long-drawn out lecture by Superman."

"It's a toss up." John handed the liquor bottle to Shayera. "Get that out of here, would you? I have to meet Supes to get that containment unit secured somewhere. Is it really that dangerous, Di?"

"It must have been. Bruce was seriously concerned that it burned through the unit in the first place."

"And what were you guys doing that it would happen at all, hmmm?" Flash asked.

"Nunya," Diana crossed her arms and threw her friend a sassy look.

"Just one word, okay? We won't ask again, but we worked hard for this result!" Diana scoffed at Shayera's statement. "Describe what it was like being with Batman in one word."

Diana seemed to withdraw into herself at the request. A soft smile formed on her lips, and she stretched her neck in a luxurious movement. She licked her lips and took a breath.

"Intense."

The trio whistled and made wolf calls at her choice of words. Bruce liked her assessment.

"Nice. It'll make sitting by myself this Friday worth it. Now, to figure out the rest of the roster..."

"Hey guys, not to change the subject, but what is this button flashing for?" The group gathered to the computer console to see what Flash was looking at. When they discovered it was for the recording system, they jumped up and looked at all the cameras in the lab.

"What the..."

"Oh shit, was that recording the whole time?!"

"BRUCE YOU SNEAK! I'M SO GOING TO GET YOU FOR THIS!"

"Turn it off! Turn it off! See if we can catch the stream before it..."

The rare sound of Bruce's booming laughter rang through the cave. The roosting bats, startled out of their rest, flew out of the cave away from the unaccustomed noise.

* * *

_And that, my friends, is how you can make a story about body shots more than a story about body shots; my personal writing challenge. My other challenge; how to write Diana pursuing Bruce, but from his point of view. How'd I do? Also, go put together the playlist I posted on my profile. I've listened to that over and over while writing this story, and I'm still not tired of it!_

_By this time (10-18-2012), I've written three follow up stories. I have a fourth coming down the pipe, at least one more after that. Various one shots will follow as I'm inspired! I've made edits to let the prose flow a bit better, but didn't change any of the dialogue. Let me know what you think! I love your reviews. – D. Nox_

_**Dedications:**_

_To the FF authors who inspired me to write; the-lady-isis, DaisyJane, Geeky BMWW Fan, Grendle1853, Serena Kenobi, alittlesummerwine...and all those who I forgot to add to my favorite list, thank you for sharing your craft. To let you know, I saved your stories on my iPad and enjoy them on the train ride to work. Made the commute so much better!_

_To Heyyodude: Thank you for telling me that my writing inspired you to continue your story, "All This and Heaven Too." As I reviewed, you hooked me within the first three paragraphs. Can't wait to see where you're going with it!_

_To my new friend AndreggvilJamer, or just "A" since its easier to type, I enjoyed our PM conversations! Especially the discussion on the difference between writing "seduction" and "sex". As you create your next sensual literary delivery, may it contain something sweet and salty, tart and tangy, and all together magical. Talk to ya later, hon!_

_And to those who took the time to read, review, favorite, and follow this story - thank you. Your energetic reactions have inspired me to continue writing, through fan fiction and my own original stories. (I have lots of them, might share one day!)_


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